Understanding Muslims in Canada

This is Canada

A turning point in Canadian history took place in 1971 when the federal government officially declared Canada a multicultural country. Immigrants to Canada in the past were predominantly from Europe while the majority of today's immigrants including many Muslims come from Asia and Africa.

Canada has a strong Muslim presence

There is a strong Muslim presence in most of Canada's major cities and metropolitan Toronto, Canada's largest city, is home to 250,000 Muslims. The Muslim university in Toronto is very active in challenging Christianity. Mosques are scattered throughout the area along with two major Muslim bookstores. Three Muslim television programs are aired weekly along with numerous radio programs. Some small towns also have large Muslim populations. Lac La Biche, Alberta and its surrounding area has 10,000 people of which about 700 are Muslims, almost all Lebanese.

Muslims coming to Canada face many hardships. The harsh Canadian winter is disheartening to those who come from warmer climates. Often the adult immigrants are well educated, however, many times their degrees are not recognised. Muslim women often find themselves isolated in a society that does not know how to understand and accept them.

God is calling Canadians to minister to Muslim newcomers. A young University student befriended a young Muslim newcomer on a bus. She was a 16 year old bride of an arranged marriage, who was extremely lonely and desperate for friendship. The two women became friends and after two years the student introduced her to Jesus. The young bride is now a mature Christian who ministers to forty Muslim ladies on a regular basis.

God is moving in Canada

Christians from Muslim backgrounds are being used by God to reach their own people on Canadian soil. A Lebanese Arabic Church has been established among the large Lebanese community in Montreal. There are also more than 25 Arabic Christian ministries in Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary and Edmonton, but most are small struggling groups. The most responsive Muslim people to the Gospel in Canada are Iranians. A young Iranian, imprisoned on six different occasions in his home country, faithfully ministers to the Iranian people of his city. More than forty Iranians were baptized in Vancouver and Toronto.

Pray about the Muslims in Canada:

* The vast majority of Canadian Muslims still have had little opportunity to hear the Gospel in a manner that is sensitive to their cultures. Pray that believers will rise to the challenge, building friendships with people from different cultural and ethnic groups.

* Pray for God's anointing on Christians to befriend Muslims in Canada. Since 9/11 Muslims are often ostracized by all communities making contact with them very difficult. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead Muslims to Christian businesses, schools and homes so they can hear the Gospel.

* People are attracted by the life of God manifested in and through His people. May the life of Jesus be evident to Muslims through the lives of Canadian Christians from all origins.

Background on Canada (World Factbook)

A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Canada's paramount political problem is meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and education services after a decade of budget cuts. Canada also faces questions about integrity in government following revelations regarding a corruption scandal in the federal government that has helped revive the fortunes of separatists in predominantly francophone Quebec.

Economy of Canada

As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the trillion-dollar class, Canada resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. Canada is the US' largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power.

Statistics on Canada

Population: 33,487,208 (July 2009 est.) World Rank #39

Life Expectancy at Birth: 81.23 years. World Rank #8

Ethnic groups: British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26%

Religions: Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16%

Languages: English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%

Literacy: 99%

School Life Expectancy: 17 years

Persecution in Canada - Video

This documentary details persecution that is directed toward Christians in Canada.

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